Fan Fiction ❯ The Night The Lights Went Out ❯ One Shot ( Chapter 1 )

Author's Note: I don't own any of the AMC characters and it's a good thing because it's because AMC's characters have pissed me off so much that I've written this fic. With that said. This was inspired by Tuesday's episode of AMC (when Ryan starts putting his `clues' for the black out together and he connected his dots to: Zach done it. Zach done it to hurt Ryan.) With that said, I'm gonna just go with the spoilers here, that Zach did cause the blackout but not because of Ryan and Erica has been drugged and stabbed Zach. This is set about a week after that. Also, I don't really know what was supposedly said on the confession tape Ryan gets of Marty (like the spoilers say) so I'm playing around with that just a little bit. Enjoy.

 

 

Kendall sat in the waiting room, waiting impatiently for the nurse to give her the okay to resume sitting at Zach's bedside. Despite him insisting that she go home and rest, she refused. It had been a week since her drugged mother had stabbed him and considering how horrifying and deadly the whole situation had been, she wasn't going anywhere. Despite the fact that Zach was recovering better than anyone expected. So well, in fact, he was likely to be released the next day. Kendall felt a tingle run down her spine at the thought of bringing her `husband' home. Legal or not Zach was her husband.

 

“When's the nurse going to finish?” Kendall groaned. She stood, and rubbing her overgrow tummy, she walked towards the window that over looked the hospital garden. The sounds of what sounded like someone running down the hall made her jump and she turned around before she got halfway to the window.

 

“Kendall! Thank God!” Ryan all but ran up to her and grabbed her by her forearms, looking her up and down. “Thank God you're alright. How are you feeling? Do you need to sit down?”

 

Kendall rolled her eyes and took a step back, shaking off Ryan's possessive grip. “That's my question to you, Ryan. And why are you running around the hospital?”

 

“Where's Zach?” Ryan asked looking around him.

 

Kendall bit back her disbelieving laugh but her expression spoke volumes. Finally, she said, “He's in his hospital bed, like he's supposed to be. The nurse is changing his dressing.” Kendall pointed towards the door behind Ryan.

 

“I need you to listen to this.” Ryan pulled a tape recorder out of his pocket. “And, please, sit down, will you.”

 

Kendall eyed Ryan and then his tape recorder. “What's this all about, Ryan?”

 

“Zach.”

 

Kendall closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. “I'm supposed to keep my stress to a minimum and I'm close to reaching my breaking point here, Ryan.” She told him, putting her hands on her hips.

If you'll just listen to the tape and what I have to say and believe in me, not Zach Slater from the desert, you'll see how most of this stress you're talking about is Zach's fault.”

 

Kendall counted to ten mentally before she spoke. “And what exactly is Zach guilty of?”

 

“He's the reason you're pregnant with our child.”

 

Kendall stared at Ryan for several moments before she placed her hand to her throat and patiently asked. “How is that Zach's fault?”

 

“He caused the blackout to ruin Greenlee's eggs and defrosted my sperm. He's the reason you were pushed to such drastic measures.”

 

Kendall could only stare at Ryan as she attempted to process his ridiculous charges. “So what's on the tape recorder? A confession from Zach?” Kendall asked with doubt and sarcasm evident in her voice.

 

“Not exactly, but I found the man paid to cause the blackout and I tricked him into confessing that he caused the blackout for Zach.”

 

“Unbelievable..” Before Kendall could finish her sentence Zach's nurse, Alice, walked out and called Kendall.

 

“You can go back in now.” Smiling she walked away.

 

“Thank you, Alice.” Kendall called after her. With a final glance at Ryan Kendall headed towards Zach's room.

 

“Kendall, you need to stay away from that man. He's caused enough damage, don't let him ruin your life anymore than it already is.”

 

Kendall stopped at Zach's door, her hand on the knob. She straightened her shoulders and turned back towards him. “Bring your tape recorder and whatever evidence you have.” And with that Kendall walked into Zach's room. The door blowing her hair about as it whooshed shut behind her.

 

“Hey, you!” Zach said happily. A big, sweet smile was on his face.

 

Kendall gave him one of her own. “Hey.” She moved closer to him when she heard Ryan open the door. “You have a visitor.” Kendall gestured towards Ryan and sat down in her big, comfy leather recliner next to his bed.

 

“I see. Come to make sure I really hadn't died?” Zach asked, the smile gone from his face.

 

“I could only be so lucky.” Ryan said sitting back on his heels.

“Funny, that's how I felt before I realized you hadn't died.” Zach countered.

 

“Another good start to another lovely conversation.” Kendall said looking down at her nails.

 

“So what do you want, Lavery?”

 

“To bring you down, Slater.”

 

“Ryan and I were having an interesting conversation out in the waiting room and I thought that since we were talking about you, we might was well include you.” Kendall said ignoring Ryan's comment.

 

“Okay.” Zach said slowly. Looking from Kendall to Ryan. Waiting.

 

“Play the tape recorder.” Kendall suggested when Ryan didn't move. “We haven't listened to it yet.” Kendall said softly to Zach.

 

Ryan played to tape recorder.

 

Despite how much Kendall wanted to know what was on the tape she found her mind wandering. She thought about the night of the blackout. It was the night she had tossed Zach's very expensive bottle of `toast to your pregnancy' champagne. No. He would never say he'd support me during my pregnancy only to turn right around and betray that a minute later. That's not his style. And if he is involved I'll bet my share of Fusion to Babe that Hoolia is involved.

 

“Don't worry. I'll give you the same deal that I gave Zach.” (The voice playing Marty said.)

 

Kendall was snapped out of her thoughts.

 

“Thank you, Marty.” Ryan's voice said. “Thank you for giving me the evidence…” Ryan turned the tape recorder off.

 

“So that's the guy who actually caused the blackout that night, right?” Kendall asked.

 

 

“Zach paid him to, yes.” Ryan said pocketing his tape recorder.

 

“What was your first clue that Zach caused the blackout?” Kendall asked

 

“I knew Zach was hiding something, so I started snooping and I started with his office. I found this.” Ryan handed Kendall the copies of Zach's calendar and the schematic.

 

Kendall tried not to laugh at the lightning bolt on the 20th but instantly recognized the schematic. There was a slight difference though, Ryan's copy had added detail, street names and the names of business. Kendall looked it over carefully while Ryan said to a Stonewall Zach:

 

“If it hadn't been for your sick hatred of me, Kendall would be pregnant with mine and Greenlee's child and I would be with my wife. You couldn't stand the thought of Kendall having my child so you decided to destroy Greenlee's hopes. Her last dream. Why do you hate me so much?”

 

Zach didn't reply. He wasn't even looking at him. He stared at his hands on h is lap while Kendall finished looking at the schematic.

 

“Ryan the fertility clinic isn't on this schematic.”

 

“This is what he would need to knock out its power. Did you not hear the tape? Marty said Zach paid him to cause the blackout.”

 

“Did he say that Zach specifically wanted the fertility clinic's power knocked out? Did I miss it?”

 

Ryan sighed with obvious frustration. “Kendall, I know you want to believe in him because you think you love him and you think you can trust him but you can't.”

 

Kendall put her hand up to stop him. “You've had your say. Now I have a few things to say and a few questions for both of you. And when I say this conversation is finished it's finished.” Kendall closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Let's get it out right now. Zach, did you cause the blackout?”

 

Zach continued to stare at his lap for minute before he looked Kendall in the eyes and said, “Yes.”

 

“I knew it!” Ryan said, gesturing wildly with his arms. “I told you …”

 

Ryan's words faded away as she stared into the eyes of the man that she loved. And what she saw broke her heart. She saw pain, fear, and misery in those gorgeous eyes.

 

“You were `dead' when all this happened, Ryan. Were you aware that during the time Greenlee and I were planning the surrogacy that Zach was helping Julia get her life back and track down t he man who killed her husband and wanted to kill her?”

 

“Yes.” Ryan said carefully.

 

“Were you aware that Di Kirby, who was Dixie Cooney at the time, was known to have information on the man Zach and Julia were looking for?”

 

Again Ryan said carefully, “Yes.”

 

“Were you aware that she lied, not only to Zach but to Tad as well, about having a letter in the vault of the bank that is on this schematic? And that she refused to give it to them?”

 

“No but what…”

 

“What does that have to do with anything? Well its motive, which you're without.”

 

“Motive?!?” Ryan said surprised.

 

“Yes. Motive. You know, reasons behind the actions. Aside from hating you, what is Zach's motive for causing the blackout to ruin the samples? Zach would have been crushing our dream, mine and Greenlee's, if he caused the blackout to prevent the surrogacy. But if he was going to be so cruel why not just tell us that you were faking your death? And you know that's the only thing that would have stopped the surrogacy.”

 

Ryan was silent. From the look on his face, Kendall guessed he was thinking.

 

Kendall turned to Zach. “You were at my condo just an hour before the blackout. Where did you go?”

 

“I had a meeting with Marty and then I went to the bank to retrieve Di's letter.”

 

“Why didn't you just knock out the power to the block? Why so much of Pine Valley?”

 

“Banks have a series of back up systems. I needed to take them all out to bypass them.”

 

“Did you find the letter?” Kendall asked with curiosity.

 

“Di had actually given it to Stuart Chandler.”

 

“The schematic?” Kendall asked holding it up. “Why isn't the clinic on it?”

 

“Cutting its power wasn't part of the plan.”

 

“Why did it become part of the plan?”

 

“Apparently Marty didn't tell you how he goofed. Their was technical difficulty when it came time to turn the lights back on by the Pine Valley electrical company and the blackout was extended to include business and homes that aren't on the schematic.”

 

“It's amazing. He doesn't even have to come up with lies because you're giving him all the answers.” Ryan said laughing softly, shaking his head. “I'll play along. You knew the clinic had been damaged and you said nothing.”

 

“The back up generator at the clinic had gone out. It was that next evening that I got inseminated. Dr Madden was still checking on the extent of the damage when I talked him into doing the procedure then and there.”

 

“If Zach…”

 

“If Zach what?” Kendall yelled. “If Zach hadn't been trying to Julia's life yours wouldn't have been ruined? I hate to be the one to tell you this but if anyone ruined your life it was you. Maybe if you hadn't been so damn convinced that you were cursed and your genes were cursed maybe Greenlee wouldn't have gone to such drastic measures to prove you were wrong.”

 

“So now it's my fault? That's great, I see without even having to speak he's able to twist your mind. It's sad.” Ryan said stressing each word he spoke with his hands.

 

“You know what's sad? It's that you won't be satisfied until you convince me that you're right, that it's all about you. And I'll be damned if it hasn't been all about you the past several months. I tried to talk Greenlee out of using your donated sperm to get pregnant since day one. And she hated me for not climbing on board her baby wagon, but you were so unstable that I knew she needed me so I did my best. And when you flew off the handle and then the cliff the night you died I was there to pick Greenlee up off that ledge. I was with her when she blamed herself for your death, for pushing you too far and I COMFORTED HER while you were off hiding with Zach in that stupid shed.”

 

“Yes, that's right, he was only too happy to be rid of me.”

 

“It sure has hell doesn't seem like you said no to his help. So maybe you, you who choose to let us think you were dead when you when you didn't die when you thought you should, maybe you shouldn't go around being so high and mighty with regards to the person you also let help you and asked to keep your secret. And the first thing you do is betray that he helped you. Even poor Lily was a part of your lie, so innocent, she thought you were a ghost that needed to be helped. That needed to be set free. It's how Zach ended up with Hoolia in our lives. This in turn, brought Hoolia into your life, caused by his helping her to be free to be part of the free world. Julia's to blame. That's what you want, isn't it? Someone to blame for losing Greenlee after you gave her up and then wanted her back and the truth between you? You were convinced by Dr. Madden that I'm not to blame so you move on to Zach? Well maybe you should blame it on Julia. Or maybe Di Kirby for leaking false information. Or the PV electricity company for screwing up a simple blackout. Or maybe it's Marty's fault for causing it, you know, for being the payee.”

 

“Kendall, you're overexcited…” Ryan began to tell her.

“Maybe because you picked a horrible time to bring this up. You want me to call this conversation finished? After these last few words and then you can leave. Zach is not responsible for the decision I made that night, I don't care that he caused the blackout, and not you or anyone else is going to convince me otherwise.”

 

“We're finished, for now.” Ryan said as he backed up slowly towards the door. “This isn't over.” He told her and then looked at Zach. “Not by a long shot.”

 

“What a surprise,” Kendall said under her breath as she moved to stand at the foot of Zach's bed and watched as the door closed behind him.

 

Kendall just stood there. Trying to absorb everything that had just happened and what it meant for her. For her, Zach and her son. At the thought, Kendall put her hand on her stomach and turned around to find Zach staring that her with the same scared look.

 

“Why didn't' you tell me? Why didn't you tell me you were planning to cause a blackout?”

 

“I told you from the beginning that I didn't want you near anything that had to do with the dragon.”

 

“And I had promised not to tell anyone about Julia and I told the cops.”

 

“I didn't not tell you because of that. You were dealing with so much anyway, and the less people who knew…”

 

“The better.” Kendall finished for him.

 

Zach nodded.

 

:This is what's been bothering you, isn't it?”

 

“I was concerned with Lavery finding out and jumping to the wrong conclusion.”

 

“Did you know that this baby was mine and Ryan's? Did you know before Thanksgiving?” Kendall asked with great curiosity. When Zach turned his attention back to his lap, she knew her answer.

 

“Yes.” He said softly.

 

“Because you got a copy of my medical file?”

 

“After you told me you had gone through with the procedure and knowing that the blackout had affected the clinic, yes, I checked into it. And, yes, I knew you used your own eggs before Thanksgiving.”

 

“And you never wanted to say anything to me about it? Ask me why I did it?”

 

“No.” Zach said looking up at her, shaking his head. “I knew why you did it. You did it for Greenlee, because you loved her and you were giving her a child from that love.”

 

“You didn't question my motive?” Kendall asked, her eyes filling with tears.

 

Zach tilted his head to the side. “Question how? Did I wonder if you did it because of some obsession you have with Ryan and saw it was a way to have a piece of you and him forever? No, it never crossed my mind.”

 

Kendall dropped her head as a tear fell down her cheek.

 

“You're right, you know.” Zach said it so softly Kendall wasn't sure he spoke.

 

“I was right?” She asked sitting on the edge of her chair, taking his hand in hers.

 

Zach nodded. “If I was willing to purposefully sabotage Greenlee's eggs and Ryan's s perm, believing he wasn't going to return like he said, I would have simply told Greenlee that Ryan was alive and hiding from her.”

 

“It would have been cheaper.” Kendall said, then laughed. She bent and kissed Zach's hand. “How are you feeling?” She asked suddenly worried. “You're not in pain and not telling me?”

 

“Me?” Zach said with a soft laugh. He reached out and stroked her cheek. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Considering how Ryan wanted things to go I feel pretty damn good.” Kendall said with a heavy sigh.

 

Zach sat and simply looked at her for a long while before he broke his own silence. “So… when are you.. uh.. going to tell me how angry you are?”

 

And with that Kendall was on her feet pacing. “Well, because I don't want you to stress yourself out with me stressing myself out.” She said not looking at him, walking back and forth, wring her hands. “But Ryan has a lot of nerve coming at a time like this, you haven't even been released from the hospital after my drugged mother nearly killed you, and trying to turn me against you by taking the facts and giving them this twisted motive. I mean, really, Zach, that's some sick way to keep a person from being artificially inseminated. That's up there with thinking I would inseminate myself with Ryan's sperm in some sick, twisted way to hold on to that… Ryass!”

 

Zach watched as Kendall ranted and paced his hospital room, her arms were gesturing her feelings pretty accurately, as well as the conviction in her voice. When she stopped to catch her breath, Zach jumped in. “I meant…” He paused when she twirled around to face him again. “I meant, when you were going to tell me how angry you are… with me.”

 

Kendall's angry expression softened instantly at his words and she walked over and sat on the bed next to him. “I'm not angry with you, Zach.” She took his hand in hers.

 

“Really?” He placed his other hand over hers.

 

“Believe it or not.” Kendall laughed, she added her other hand to the pile. “Here's what you need to know about me, Zach.” She told him, beaming, she sat up straighter. “I'm a hypocrite.”

 

“No!” Zach put on his best shocked look.

 

“Shocking, I know.” Kendall pushed her hair behind her ears. “I have my secrets and my little white lies. I'm up there with the big boys sometimes. And when I've been caught in my lies, I lie some more, and sometimes I can convince you, but when I catch you in a lie and you lie some more and convince me and I find out about it?” Kendall leaned in towards Zach, her eyebrows arched, and a smile on her face. “Well, it usually becomes history. Ask Ethan. When I asked him if he lied about seeing you kill Edmond, even though I told him I'd support him either way, he still lied to my face and swore on our love. My point is, that when Ryan came to me and accused you of being so hateful towards him that you'd actually knock out half the power in Pine Valley in kill his offspring and keep him from his wife, I knew it wasn't the truth. I knew that you'd give me the truth, despite how things might turn out, when I ask you straight to your face. I believe in you, Zach and I will support you in anything that you choose to do. Even if I don't know about it; especially if I don't like it” Kendall's booming laughter nearly shattered the walls at the look Zach gave her at her last words. “That's what also makes me a hypocrite. If you hide it and I find out about it you besta tell me the truth when I ask you. The little saying, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Comes to mind but I'm not going to be run off by anyone.” She took her index finger and touched his heart. “Not even you.”

 

“Not even me, huh?” Zach asked blinking several times to keep back his own tears.

 

“Especially you, we are each other's biggest challenge in this soon to be marriage, and I plan on my vows saying for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”

 

“That's the part just before, you may kiss your bride, right?” Zach asked smiling.

 

“I do believe you are right, Mr. Slater.” Kendall said and leaned in and kissed her husband.

 

Fen